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Selection of coagulant using jar test and analytic hierarchy process: A case
study of Mazandaran textile wastewater

Article · March 2018

DOI: 10.12989/aer.2018.7.1.001

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Advances in Environmental Research, Vol. 7, No. 1 (2018) 1-11
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/aer.2018.7.1.001 1

Selection of coagulant using jar test and analytic hierarchy

process: A case study of Mazandaran textile wastewater
Gholamreza Asadollahfardi*1 Hossein Zangooei1a, Vahid Motamedi2b and
Mostafa Davoodi1a
1
Department of Civil Engineering, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
2
Department of Educational Technology, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

(Received February 2, 2017, Revised August 7, 2017, Accepted August 8, 2017)

Abstract. Textile factories are one of the industries which its wastewater treatment is a challenging issue,
especially in developing countries and a conventional treatment cannot treat all its pollutants properly. Using
chemical coagulants is a technique for physical and chemical primary treatment of the wastewater. We
applied jar test for selection of suitable coagulant among the five coagulants including alum, calcium
hydroxide, ferrous sulfate, ferrous chloride and barium chloride for the effluent of wastewater in Mazandran
textile factory located in Mazandran Province, Iran. In addition, jar test, we also used analytic hierarchy
process (AHP) method considering criteria which included coagulation cost, sensitivity to pH change, the
amount of sludge generation and side effects for coagulation. The results of the jar test indicated that calcium
hydroxide was proper among the coagulants which it removed 92.9% total suspended solid (TSS), 70%dye
and30% chemical oxygen demand. The AHP analysis presented that calcium hydroxide is more suitable than
other coagulants considering five criteria.
Keywords: Mazandran textile factory; jar test; analytic hierarchy process (AHP)

1. Introduction

Protection of water quality of the river is a challenging issue.For keeping water quality to an
acceptable level for different usage, all effluent discharges into the rivers should be treated to
satisfy the standard which defined by the local water authority. Entering the effluent of wastewater
from the textile factories into the surface water without proper treatment will cause emerge
environmental problems such as oxygen reduction and algae growing. Also to discharge such
wastewater to sewage network and domestic wastewater treatment, causes clogging the network,
disturbance to sedimentation units, reduction of oxygen in aeration tanks and disturbance on
microorganism growing (Mahdavi 1998).
Jar test often used for physical and chemical wastewater treatment. Several researchers have

Corresponding author, Professor, E-mail: asadollahfardi@yahoo.com or fardi@khu.ac.ir

a
Graduate Student
b
Assistant Professor

Copyright © 2018 Techno-Press, Ltd.

http://www.techno-press.org/?journal=aer&subpage=7 ISSN: 2234-1722 (Print), 2234-1730 (Online)
2 Gholamreza Asadollahfardi, Hossein Zangooei, Vahid Motamedi and Mostafa Davoodi

been studied wastewater treatment using the jar test. Barredo-Damas et al. (2005) applied jar test
before and after using ozone for treatment of wastewater of textile factories. Their result indicated
removal of 57% COD and 95% turbidity. Bayramoglu et al. (2007) used electrical coagulation,
including aluminum and iron electrode for treatment of wastewater from textile factory and
assessed economic of the method. They determined both electrodes have similar effects on
removal COD and turbidity .Pradeep Kumar et al.( 2008) achieved the commercial alum the most
effective coagulant between various coagulants including aluminum potassium sulfate, poly-
alumni chloride ( PAC), FeCl3 and FeSO4.Their result indicated 58.57% COD and 74% dye
removal at the pH of 4 using the coagulant dose of 5 kg/m3. Bidhendi et al. (2007) investigated on
COD, dye, TSS and turbidity removal from wastewater of textile factories. They determined that
calcium hydroxide and other coagulations can remove dye and COD from textile wastewater.
Gohari et al. (2009) studied the removal of dye from wastewater using magnesium chloride,
calcium hydroxide and aluminum sulfate. They indicated 50% COD and 100% dye removal.
Gohari et al. (2010) also applied two systems of pretreatment first including coagulation,
flocculation and sedimentation and the second containing floating. They used three coagulation
including, ferric chloride, aluminum sulfate and ferrous sulfate. The results described all the
coagulation containing similar COD removal. Zengooei et al. (2016) investigated the coagulation
and the flocculation process by poly-aluminum chloride (PAC) coagulant using modeling tools
such as artificial neural networks and fuzzy regression in a water treatment plant in Iran. Their
results showed that MLP networks have best Performance to simulate this process.
A Jar test is a time consuming method because several tests need to determine which coagulant
is suitable for physical and chemical wastewater treatment. To reduce the times of testing and also
considering other criteria, some researchers applied multiple-criteria decision-making or multiple-
criteria decision analysis (MCDA). Aragones-Beltrana et al. (2009) applied analytic hierarchy
process (AHP) and preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluations
(PROMETHEEs) to prioritize between a polymeric liquid chemical, FeCl 3 combined with an
anionic polyacrylamide, and a combination of inorganic and organic coagulants (mainly ferric
sulphate) and cationic coagulant. They stated that the application of both methods was a useful
tool for prioritization of the coagulants. Karimi et al. (2010) conducted an investigation using AHP
to identify which types of the wastewater treatment, including up flow anaerobic sludge bed
(USAB), up flow anaerobic fixed bed (UAFB), anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) and anaerobic
lagoon was the best considering technical, economic, environmental and administrative criteria.
They ranked 1 to 4 in a descending order of UAFB, ABR, UASB and anaerobic .Srdjevic et al.
(2012) used AHP to prioritize between chemical treatment, evaporation, separated by the use of
the membranes and biological treatment for treatment colored metals in Serbia. They used seven
typical criteria for the wastewater treatment, including energy consumption, the price of the
chemicals, effectiveness, simplicity of the process, the price of the facilities, ecological impact,
and necessary educational level of the workers. Their results indicated ecological impact and
energy consumption contained higher weight related to other criteria. Kalbar et al. (2012) used
technique in order of preference by similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to identify the most
appropriate wastewater treatment. They concluded that the identification of appropriate waste
water treatment alternatives was difficult under no scenario. Kalbar et al. (2013) conducted a study
for types of wastewater treatment selection using AHP. They stated that the skilled people, mostly
select natural treatment system. Nevertheless, pairwise comparison matrices based on skilled
people recommended advanced technology for industrial wastewater treatment. Ruban Sundara
Raj et al. (2013) compared AHP under fuzzy environment, Preference Ranking Organization
 Selection of coagulant using jar test and analytic hierarchy process... 3

technique for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE) and hierarchy Grey Relation Analysis
(GRA) techniques for appropriate selection of wastewater treatment. They suggested that the fuzzy
analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) is integrated with a preference ranking organization method
for enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) technique and the FAHP is integrated with hierarchy
Grey Relation Analysis (GRA) method.
Mazandaran textile factory is located in Ghaemshahr City, west of Seyahrud River,
Mazandran Province, located on the southern coast of the Caspian sea, Iran. The geography
coordinate is 36° 27′ 47″ N, 52° 51′ 36″ E. The production capacity of the factory is 5000 meters
cotton and 800 kg hydrofoil cotton daily. The wastewater of the factory flow into the Sefid Rud
River without proper treatment.
The first objective of the study was to select suitable coagulation for physical and chemical
wastewater treatment of Mazandaran textile factory using the jar test. The second aim was to apply
the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to identify the type of the proper coagulant among the
alum, calcium hydroxide (lime), ferric chloride, ferrous sulfate and barium chloride considering
cost, efficiency, sensitivity to pH changing, sludge generation and side effect criteria.

2. Materials and methods

We collected textile wastewater samples every five days during the summer and winter in 2014
and followed the procedure of testing according to examination of water and wastewater (2005).
We carried out physical-chemical examination using multiple stirred Jar Test apparatus with 5
different coagulants with different pHs. The coagulants included alum, calcium hydroxide, ferric
chloride, ferrous sulfate and barium chloride. We agitated textile wastewater and coagulants for 3
minutes with speed of 100 rpm. After that, the jar test was performed for each coagulants by
changing pH to identify which pH reaches to a maximum total suspended solid (TSS) removal.
Next, the testing carried out using the optimized pH from the first stage and again changing
coagulants concentration of each coagulant to identify the optimized coagulant concentration
which resulted in maximum TSS removal. All the tests were conducted for 15 minutes with speed
of 30 rpm. At last, the flocculated wastewaters were precipitated for 30 minutes (ASTM 1995).

3. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP)

The AHP can solve multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) problem through a goal, criteria
and alternative. The method developed by Saaty (1980).
The AHP method includes the following steps:
1- Define the objective which in our study was to select the appropriate coagulant.
2-Structure of the elements in groups of criteria, sub criteria and alternatives
3-Make a paired comparison of the element and calculating consistency ratio
4-Using eigenvector method to estimate the ratio scale and Eigenvalue for consistency index.
5-Evaluate alternative according to the weighting and final rank our criteria
Saaty (2000) defined a mechanism for inconsistency in justification. Whether the consistency
ratio is equal or less than 0.1, the judgment is acceptable. Otherwise the judgment should be
reconsidered (Sabardast 2001). After achievement type and concentration of optimized coagulant
experimentally, we applied the AHP technique considering efficiency, cost, and sensitivity to
4 Gholamreza Asadollahfardi, Hossein Zangooei, Vahid Motamedi and Mostafa Davoodi

changing pH, side effect and sludge of the coagulants to determine optimized coagulant. We
requested the significance of the each above parameters through sending the questionnaires to the
wastewater treatment experts. They responded the questionnaires using the fundamental scale for
paired comparison (Saaty 2008).
For calculation of AHP, we used Expert Choice software. The software receives quality data as
indicated in First, we defined our objective of our analysis of the software and then defined
criteria which first included cost, efficiency, sensitivity to pH changing, sludge generation and
side effect. The side effect means the deteriorating effect of using coagulation such as using alum
causes calcium hardness and corrosion on the equipment. The next step was paired comparison of
the criteria. In the Expert Choice software is available three comparisons, including importance,
preference and likelihood. In this paper, we applied the preference.

Table 1 The effluent characteristics of Mazandran textile wastewater

Average Wastewater
Time of BOD5 COD TSS Color TP TN
temperature temperature pH
sampling (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (TCU1) (mg/l) (mg/l)
(𝐶 ° ) (𝐶 ° )
January 14,
-4 2 5.8 410 980 272 150 1.1 2.10
2014
January 21,
-2 3 8 373 750 278 155 3.1 12
2014
February 3,
1 5 5.8 355 1000 287 140 1 1.10
2014
February 9,
-11 1 5.8 425 1040 282 150 1.79 5.12
2014
February 26,
0 6 8 420 929 281 129 1.35 3.12
2014
July 23, 2014 30 5.32 36.8 380 800 262 145 1.19 14
July 28, 2014 25 27 55.8 360 1150 253.5 140 1.05 3.14
August 1,
5.24 5.26 5.9 430 1158 298 150 1 15
2014
August 6,
5.22 25 6.9 370 984 310 150 1.3 8.15
2014
August 11,
6.25 27 5.9 360 840 235 135 1.22 2.15
2014
August 16,
5.21 5.25 5.9 400 992 270 135 1.1 5.15
2014
August 27,
17 20 8.8 370 900 213 140 1 14.1
2014
Mean 67.4 67.9 8.78 387.75 960.25 270.13 143.25 1.2 13.42
Standard
947.14 526.11 0.6 27.6 125.76 26.66 7.94 0.22 1.97
deviation
Maximum 6.25 7.32 9.6 430 1158 310 155 1.79 15.8
Minimum -11 1 8 355 750 213 129 1 10.1
 Selection of coagulant using jar test and analytic hierarchy process... 5

4. Results and discussion

Table 1 indicates the characteristic of Mazandran textile waste. As illustrated in Table 1, the
maximum values of BOD, COD, TSS, phosphate and nitrogen were 430, 1158, 310, 1.79 and 15.8
mg/l respectively.
The characteristics of wastewater for jar test were 355 mg/l, 1000 mg/l, 287 mg/l, 8.5 and 140
TCU for BOD, COD, TSS, pH and Dye, respectively.
The first step for selection of coagulation, we changed pH and measured TSS removal.
Afterward, the pH, which contained the maximum removal of TSS was chosen as optimized pH.
In the second stage, we changed the amount of coagulation with the optimized pH and determined
the amount of coagulation which reached to maximum TSS removal. We conducted Jar Test using
1000 mg/l alum for different pH. Fig. 1 indicates the removal of TSS with different pH. As
presented in Fig. 2, the maximum TSS removal was achieved using the optimized consuming of
alum (1200 mg/l) for the fixed pH of 6. Fig. 3 presents the effects of changing pH of removal of
TSS using 600 mg/l lime. We determined the TSS removal from the wastewater using different
lime concentrations for the fixed pH of 6, and observed the minimum TSS when used 1000mg/l
lime. Fig. 5 indicates variations of pH using 300mg/l ferric chloride in Jar test in the textile
wastewater sample, the maximum TSS removal occurred at the pH of 2 and 4. We applied
different ferric chloride concentrations for the TSS removal at pH2 and observed the TSS reached
to 33.5 mg/l for using 400 mg/l of ferric chloride (Fig. 6). The same test with different ferric
chloride concentrations for the TSS removal at pH4 was carried out and observed the TSS reached
to 40.5mg/l for using 600 mg/l of ferric chloride (Fig. 7).

Fig. 1 The effect of changing pH on TSS removal using 1000 mg/1 Alum

Fig. 2 The effect of changing alum concentration on TSS removal at pH=6

6 Gholamreza Asadollahfardi, Hossein Zangooei, Vahid Motamedi and Mostafa Davoodi

Fig. 3 The effect of changing pH on removal of TSS using 600 mg/1 lime

Fig. 4 The effects of changing lime concentration on TSS removal at pH=6 at TSS removal

Fig. 5 The effects of changing pH on removal of TSS using 300 mg/l FeCl 3

Fig. 6 The effects of changing FeCl3 concentration on TSS removal at pH=2

 Selection of coagulant using jar test and analytic hierarchy process... 7

Fig. 7 The effects of changing FeCl3 concentration on TSS removal at pH=4

Fig. 8 The effect of changing pH on TSS removal using 300 mg/l FeSO4

Fig. 9 The effect of changing FeSO4concentration on the TSS removal at pH=4

Fig. 10 The effect of changing pH 4 on TSS removal using 600 mg/l BaCl2
8 Gholamreza Asadollahfardi, Hossein Zangooei, Vahid Motamedi and Mostafa Davoodi

Using 300mg/l ferrous sulfate in the Jar test of the textile wastewater sample with different pH,
the maximum TSS removal occurred at pH4 (Fig. 8). We applied different ferrous sulfate
concentrations for the TSS removal at pH4 and observed the TSS reached to 24mg/l for using 800
mg/l of ferrous sulfate (Fig. 9). After that, we examined the Jar test using 600mg/l barium chloride
and observed maximum TSS removal at pH4 (Fig. 10).At the end, with different concentration of
barium chloride, the maximum barium chloride occurred at 800 mg/1 containing pH4.
The optimization of the wastewater treatment experts associated with the importance of the five
factors, including coagulation cost, sensitivity to pH changing, the amount of sludge generation
and side effects for selecting of the coagulations was indicated in Fig. 12. Table 2 indicates the
summary results of coagulation performance on the wastewater.

Fig. 11 The effect of changing BaCl2 concentration on the TSS removal at pH=4

Table 2 The summary results of coagulation performance on the wastewater

Minimums TSS Optimized amount of
Coagulation TSS removal% pH
(mg/l) coagulants (mg/l)
Alum 91 24 1200 6
Lime 9.92 19 1000 6
FeCl3 5.87 5.33 400 2
FeCl3 85 5.40 600 4
FeSO4 1.91 24 800 4
BaCl2 14.88 32 800 4

Fig. 12 The importance of the factors for coagulation selection

 Selection of coagulant using jar test and analytic hierarchy process... 9

According to Fig. 12, we established five paired comparison tables. Table 3 indicates a matrix
of paired comparisons of the coagulants according to the cost; the same matrix of paired
comparisons was performed for the other factors; however, we illustrated one of them.

Table 3 A paired comparisons between the elements according to cost of the coagulants
Alum Lime FeCl3 FeSO4 Bacl2
Alum 1 1/5 1/3 3 1/2
Lime - 1 3 9 5
FeCl3 - - 1 5 3
FeSo4 - - - 1 1/5
Bacl2 - - - - 1

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

(e) (f)
Fig. 13 The paired comparison of the five coagulants
10 Gholamreza Asadollahfardi, Hossein Zangooei, Vahid Motamedi and Mostafa Davoodi

Fig. 14 The results of the priority of selection of the coagulants

Fig. 13 indicates weighted head to head of the coagulants considering cost, efficiency,
sensitivity to pH changing, sludge generation and side effect criteria. As described in the Fig.13 ,
selection of lime is suitable than the alum considering cost and sludge generation .The lime is also
proper for coagulant than selecting ferrous sulfate and Barium Chloride considering all the
mentioned factors.
Fig. 14 indicates the final preference analysis and the inconsistency ratio. The inconsistency
ratio was 0.04 which may present the logic of input data to the software. As presented in Fig. 14,
lime contained 46.6 % ratio considering coagulant cost, efficiency, sensitivity to pHchanging, the
amount of sludge generation and side effects. Therefore, lime coagulant in jar test could be the
most suitable coagulant related to others. Comparing the AHP result including the five criteria
with jar test results, which considered only removal of TSS, lime coagulant was the best for
primary physical and chemical treatment of the textile factory.
We tested effluent of the wastewater with selected lime and observed a reduction of COD and
dye to 650 mg/l and 42 TCU. This meant 35% COD and 70% dye removal. Therefore,
flocculation, and sedimentation using the lime coagulant for primary treatment of the textile
factory may be suitable.

5. Conclusions

Considering the results of our study, we summarized the following conclusions:

1- The chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and dye of the
raw textile wastewater were 750-1158 mg/l, 355-433 mg/l and 129-155 TCU, respectively.
2- The jar test results indicated that the lime was the most suitable coagulant for TSS removal
in comparison with alum, ferric chloride, ferrous sulfate and barium chloride.
3- The AHP demonstrated that the lime was the optimized coagulant in the following aspects:
economy, efficiency, sensitivity to changing pH , sludge production and side effect criteria.
4- Lime coagulant removed 92.2% TSS from the textile wastewater at pH 6 and concentration
of 1000mg/l.
5- The lime coagulant removed 35% COD and 70% dye from the textile wastewater.

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